Arsenal legend Ian Wright considers it to be “crazy” that Granit Xhaka has taken on captaincy duties ahead of the likes of Matteo Guendouzi, with Unai Emery branded “not strong enough” to make a big decision.
The man in charge at Emirates Stadium continues to favour working with a leadership group, but has agreed to one person taking on the role of skipper on a more regular basis.
A blind ballot was held to determine to winner of the armband, with combative Swiss midfielder Xhaka getting the nod.
Emery has faced criticism for an apparent reluctance to take that call himself, with many suggesting that more suitable options were available – such as David Luiz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Gunners legend Wright has now claimed that Guendouzi should have been in the mix, with Tony Adams having previously led the side at 20 years of age, and has called out Emery for not taking control.
The former Arsenal striker told Premier League Productions after seeing French midfielder Guendouzi put in an all-action performance during a 1-1 draw with Manchester United: “If you are going to take any positives out of it then the form and the emergence of Matteo Guendouzi is fantastic.
“He’s somebody that is driving the team forward.
“When he came in, for his first season to play that many games, I thought it was too much, I thought it was too many.
“But now you’re seeing somebody that looks totally in control in what he’s doing.
Getty“He’s getting himself into great spaces, against Tottenham he was fantastic, got the assist for Aubameyang.
“He’s somebody who is continuously driving forward and making sure that he is trying to help the team.
“And, for me, I know they’ve chosen the captain but Xhaka should not be captain in front of this guy or Aubameyang, for me.
“He is leading by example for a 20-year-old. We know Tony Adams was a captain at 20, maybe Unai’s not strong enough to give somebody like Matteo Guendouzi [the captaincy].
“When you look at him here and what he’s doing, that is taking the game by the scruff of the neck and driving Arsenal forward, and he’s not been made captain or vice-captain.
“It’s crazy, for me.”
Guendouzi arrived in north London during the summer of 2018 as a relative unknown, but he was thrown into a Premier League deep end and has shown himself to be fully deserving of a prominent role in Arsenal’s future plans.